Holla Holla! There is a social phenomenon happening all over the world. And we dig discussions that break down the barriers of society’s much enforced ‘jail of expectation’. Gleefully, one of these subjects is categorically second in line to the confronting documentary, My Penis and Everyone Else’s; which as we’d all agree is potentially the most taboo topic of all for blokes. {Blink…perplexingly}.

We are talking about mateship.

Mate. Dude. Bro. Fella. Cheers. Brother.

You know when a new word or a coined phrase has really made it into popular consciousness when it’s a hit song title. The word “bro-mance’ – meaning a close, non-sexual relationship between two blokes – has achieved real popular cred over the past year. As mentioned it’s even been turned into a Swedish pop song – See Bromance – which has been roaring up the charts in Europe, with the video to match. So the imagination runs wild trying to think of what it is that guys bond over most. Well, happily MSP are thrilled to know it’s dudes bonding over a blue convertible. Yeee-haaah! We love cars. How’s the Merc going Stylemeister?

In line with the www and the music charts we’ve also seen a rush of bro-mance films; I love you Man, Get him to the Geek, Dinner for Schmucks and the new Due Date.

And then there’s the weird and wonderful bro-mance display in Australia; usually at the footy stadium or standing around the BBQ with tongs the size of Edward Scissor-hands. Games like State of Origin, League, Union, Soccer, AFL, would be the traditional settings where bro-mance is displayed. And in that stadium, when the modern day gladiator runs on to conquer the opposition and make their team and fans proud, blokes are all standing around slappin’ each other on the back flinging out the heroic ‘mate’ word at the end of each sentence. So much so, they start to clear their throats to its overuse.

So since ‘mate’ is such a typical part of the male’s vocabulary, why are we suddenly in the spotlight with ‘bro-mance’?

There’s many a discussion on this, but MSP are convinced that it’s because of a few social phenomenon’s that have arisen over the last 5 years. And yes, sometimes it takes us (men) that long to really get something in our inner being before we are confident in expressing this to the outside world. We all know that our emotional intelligence had been shunned (for the majority of us) due to the expectation that we weren’t allowed to shed a tear when our tadpoles died whilst in kindergarten.

One of the reasons we feel bro-mance is being taken to a new level, is there are a lot of single and painfully divorced dudes out there. And this means that men are hanging out with other men outside of their families, and low and behold, are talking! Talking? You mean talking emotionally? Like, about stuff we were not allowed to cry about, or show our feelings on? YES. And this is great. (Slap on the back).

Also, our social stigma that society dictated to us has started to shatter. Hoorah! Men need to hang out together and be men. Go to the movies, have a joke with their other male friends, share a meal somewhere local and get charged up with male energy to then be able to bring this back to their families, or infiltrate this energy to the work place. It’s been noted for many years, that a good leader teaches how to lead. And having strong charged up leadership energy post bro-mance discussions and activities i.e. sports games, BBQs, outings; men feel empowered.

Men understand and ‘get’ men. As women understand and ‘get’ women. And we all know women talk, and they talk and talk. And MSP love this. Yes, many women don’t understand that men internalize and also need space to reflect on issues, situations and problems that need solving before they state what they are intending to do. Whereas, women vent, meaning, as they talk they are actually solving the problem as they wait for the revelation to show itself and in a moment of complete clarity, bingo – there it is!

So in conclusion, we are seeing more men shopping together; or one guy shops and then calls his mate to tell him the product that he needs to get. We’re seeing more men go out to a movie together (usually a horror movie cause that’s more masculine) and dissecting this movie afterwards at a bar. We’re seeing greater emotional openness, maturity and knowledge that discussion is okay, and topics like the pains of divorce, loss, grief and depression discussed with male friends.

MSP are really thrilled to see this openness. We know that the pains of divorce leads to depression. We know that addictive behaviour to substances is mainly just to hide the pain and numb reality until the subject is ready to deal with it. So in this festive season, we raise a glass of the good ol’ boags, or any beverage of choice and salute you ‘mate’, to the hardship you’re going to conquer in 2011, and the cool and understanding chick you’re going to attract.

READ THIS!

Popular Posts

The MSP Newsletter

Sydney, Australia: Last week, MenStylePower were happily invited to the launch of the new Men’s Grooming products at Lush, and we were pleasantly surprised that it was aimed at Gents like us; not too metro or retro but sit right in the middle of these two extremes. We get our hands dirty, we like to […]